Washington Heritage Trail
Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal National Park, WV

George Washington's desire to make the Potomac River more navigable led to the development of the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal, which became a National Monument in 1961 and a National Park in 1971. The C&O Canal National Park now encompasses 184.5 miles of the canal, along with its 70+ locks, numerous dams, and the Paw Paw Tunnel. The best way to appreciate the beauty of the Potomac River Valley is by walking or biking the C&O Canal Trail, which stretches from Georgetown in Washington, D.C. to Cumberland, Maryland. From the GWHT, the C&O Canal can be easily accessed at Harpers Ferry and Paw Paw, linking the most eastern and western legs of the GWHT.